The Philadelphia Phillies are on a tear, currently tied for the best record in the National League and narrowly leading the Mets in a tight NL East race. Virtually everything has gone right for them lately—aside from one major setback involving José Alvarado.
In a surprising twist, Alvarado has been hit with an 80-game suspension and will miss the postseason after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, which he claims came from a weight loss supplement. He has accepted the suspension, leaving the Phillies unexpectedly thin in the bullpen.
While internal options exist, the team will likely need to explore external reinforcements to maintain their championship momentum. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, president Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies’ front office have already reached out to a notable free agent.
“Before Alvarado’s suspension was officially announced, a source said the Phillies contacted free agent David Robertson—the top reliever still available,” Feinsand reports. “Although no serious discussions occurred, a reunion with the 40-year-old veteran, who’s had two previous stints with the team, remains a real possibility.”
Phillies called up David Robertson before MLB dropped hammer on José Alvarado
This seems like a logical move for Philadelphia. Robertson, now 40, has logged a lot of innings over his career, but he was still effective in a demanding role last season. He pitched in 68 games for the Texas Rangers, tallying 99 strikeouts over 72 innings with a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. His whiff rate ranked in the 76th percentile, and he was in the 96th percentile for strikeouts — impressive numbers.
The fact that Robertson has pitched in Philadelphia before is an added bonus. While there’s always some risk in signing a pitcher with 16 MLB seasons behind him — as we’re seeing with Charlie Morton in Baltimore — Robertson has remained remarkably consistent throughout his career. His track record is strong, and it’s somewhat surprising he’s still on the market this far into the season.